Wyandotte Firefighters Breathe Life Into Art Fair

They're there to help, but won't mind if they never move from their station at the first aid tent at the Wyandotte Street Art Fair this week.

Then they know that everyone's OK.

The firefighters, in partnership with , are staffing the first aid station at Biddle and Maple during

"We want to make sure that not only Wyandotte citizens, but also anybody who comes to enjoy Wyandotte, is able to be taken care of if need be," firefighter Brendt Frederick said.

The firefighters are equipped to provide minor on-site treatment, but an ambulance is only a call away.

“We have all of our equipment that we would have on an ambulance to do diagnostics to see what is going on, but any of the major treatment will be done in our ambulance or at the hospital," Frederick said.

The number of calls can vary from one or two to upwards of 20 or 30 during a 12-hour shift on a really hot day, he said.

“It could be a number of things," Frederick said. “With it being a hot day, it could be heat exhaustion, difficulty breathing, somebody with chest pain, twisted ankle, skinned knees for children because there are so many people. The sky's the limit really on what people might need assistance for."

The fair is in its 51st year and has been involved from the start, he said.

“Since the street fair has been going on, there’s been a first aid tent or the ability to receive first aid from the firefighters," Frederick said. "We just want to make sure the public knows we’re out here if they need us and to help anybody who does need us.”

Want more info on the art fair? , scroll through or For a complete list of all stories written about the 2012 fair, check out its topic page.